The purpose of this study is to test how well people tolerate a new dietary ingredient called 2-HOBA and how it is metabolized in the body. 2-HOBA is a compound that occurs naturally in buckwheat seeds. This dietary ingredient has been used in animal studies, and single doses have been tolerated well when given to a small group of healthy people. In this study we will test how well people tolerate taking 2-HOBA over 2 weeks and how it is metabolized by the body.

Consenting volunteers between 55 and 79 years old with metabolic syndrome, including males, and post-menopausal females will be recruited for the study. Eighteen volunteers will be studied with a reasonable sampling of ethnicities from the Nashville area, and an effort will be made to recruit equal numbers of males and females. The study will be conducted by the Vanderbilt Clinical Research Center (CRC).

Based upon single dose pharmacokinetics, two multiple dose regimens will be studied to determine the safety, accumulation kinetics, and pharmacodynamic effects of multiple daily doses administered over 2 weeks. A complete health history and physical examination will be conducted by a physician. An EKG, baseline blood and urine sample, and vital signs will be taken prior to supplement administration. A physician will oversee all clinical aspects of the study and will be responsible for all trial-related medical decisions. Additionally, DNA will be collected from the blood drawn and used to determine if there are any genetic differences in metabolism of 2-HOBA. Volunteers will be given 3 daily doses of either placebo or one of two levels of 2-HOBA to determine the safety, accumulation kinetics, and pharmacodynamic effects of the multiple dose administration over a 2 week period.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Individuals between 55 and 79 years old with metabolic syndrome
• Men and post-menopausal women.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Inability to give informed consent;
• Diseases that could manifest symptoms or signs that would confound interpretation of the relationship between 2-HOBA action and potential adverse effects;
• Diseases that manifest current morbidity;
• Known cardiac disease, kidney disease, hepatic dysfunction, or diagnosed coronary artery disease;
• Cancer with potential terminal outcome or under treatment at the time of study;
• Severe hypertension (defined by systolic blood pressure equal or higher than 170 mm Hg), cardiac pacemaker, or oral anticoagulant use at the time of the study; and
• Individuals with diabetes requiring insulin treatment.

The dietary supplement will be delivered to the Clinical Research Center by the Investigational Pharmacy at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Staff nurses and participants will be blinded to the capsule content.